To provide an electrolytic capacitor with improved reliability. The electrolytic capacitor including: at least one capacitor element including an anode foil having a first part including a first end, and a second part including a second end, a dielectric layer formed on at least a surface of the second part, and a cathode part covering at least part of the dielectric layer; a package body enclosing the capacitor element; and an external electrode. At least a surface of the second part has a porous portion, and at least an end face of the first end is exposed from the package body and is in contact with the external electrode.

A method for making a layered perovskite structure comprises: a) performing a vapor assisted surface treatment (VAST) of a substrate with a surface passivating agent; b) applying a layer of PbI.sub.2 to the passivating agent; c) exposing the PbI.sub.2 to methylammonium iodide (CH.sub.3NH.sub.3I) in an orthogonal solvent; and d) annealing the structure. A PEDOT:PSS coated ITO glass substrate may be used. The surface passivation agent may be one a chalcogenide-containing species with the general chemical formula (E.sub.3E.sub.4)N(E.sub.1E.sub.2)N′C═X where any one of E.sub.1, E.sub.2, E.sub.3 and E.sub.4 is independently selected from C1-C15 organic substituents comprising from 0 to 15 heteroatoms or hydrogen, and X is S, Se or Te, thiourea, thioacetamide, selenoacetamide, selenourea, H.sub.2S, H.sub.2Se, H.sub.2Te or LXH wherein L is a C.sub.n organic substituent comprising heteroatoms and X═S, Se, or Te. The passivating agent may be applied by spin-coating, inkjet-printing, slot-die-coating, aerosol-jet printing, PVD, CVD, and electrochemical deposition.

A solid electrolytic capacitor that contains an anode body, dielectric overlying the anode body, adhesion coating overlying the dielectric, and solid electrolyte overlying the adhesion coating. The solid electrolyte contains an inner conductive polymer layer and outer conductive polymer layer, at least one of which is formed from a plurality of pre-polymerized conductive polymer particles. Furthermore, the adhesion coating contains a discontinuous precoat layer containing a plurality of discrete nanoprojections of a manganese oxide (e.g., manganese dioxide).

A dye-sensitized solar panel includes a titanium nanoparticle layer and a plant-derived photo-sensitizer supported on the titanium nanoparticle layer. The photo-sensitizer can be extracted from chard (the cicla cultivar group of B. vulgaris subsp. cicla), and the titanium nanoparticle layer includes titanium nanoparticles synthesized using henna (Lawsonia inermis). The titanium nanoparticle layer can, in addition to titanium nanoparticles, include zinc oxide nanoparticles.

The dye-sensitized solar panel includes a metal oxide layer and an organic photosensitizing dye on the metal oxide layer. The organic photosensitizing dye is extracted from chard (B. vulgaris subsp. cicla), and the metal oxide layer is composed of zinc oxide nanoparticles synthesized using B. vulgaris subsp. cicla dye as a reducing agent. A working electrode is mounted on a first transparent substrate. The working electrode includes a metal electrode and the metal oxide layer formed thereon. A counter electrode is mounted on a second transparent substrate. An electrolyte is sandwiched between the working electrode and the counter electrode.

A dye-sensitized solar panel includes a titanium nanoparticle layer and a plant-derived photo-sensitizer supported on the titanium nanoparticle layer. The photo-sensitizer can be extracted from chard (B. vulgaris subsp. cicla), and the titanium nanoparticle layer includes titanium nanoparticles synthesized using henna (Lawsonia inermis). The titanium nanoparticle layer can, in addition to titanium nanoparticles, include zinc oxide nanoparticles.

A manufacturing method for a magnetic head forms a leading shield having a top surface. The top surface of the leading shield includes first and second portions. The second portion is located farther from a medium facing surface than is the first portion, and recessed from the first portion. A first gap layer is then formed on the first portion. Then, a magnetic layer including an initial first side shield, an initial second side shield and a coupling section connecting them is formed using a mold. The mold is then removed. The coupling section is then removed by etching the magnetic layer. A second gap layer and a main pole are then formed in this order.

A capacitor and methods of processing an anode metal foil are presented. The capacitor includes a housing, one or more anodes disposed within the housing, one or more cathodes disposed within the housing, one or more separators disposed between an adjacent anode and cathode, and an electrolyte disposed around the one or more anodes, one or more cathodes, and one or more separators within the housing. The one or more anodes each include a metal foil that includes a first plurality of tunnels through a thickness of the metal foil in a first ordered arrangement, the first ordered arrangement being a close packed hexagonal array arrangement, and having a first diameter, and a second plurality of tunnels through the thickness of the metal foil having a second ordered arrangement and a second diameter greater than the first diameter.

The present invention provides an improved redox couple for electrochemical and optoelectronic devices. The redox couple is based on a complex of a first row transition metal, said complex containing at least one mono-, bi-, or tridentate ligand comprising a substituted or unsubstituted ring or ring system comprising a five-membered N-containing heteroring and/or a six-membered ring comprising at least two heteroatoms, at least one of which being a nitrogen atom, said five- or six-membered heteroring, respectively, comprising at least one double bond. The invention also relates to electrolytes and to the devices containing the complex, and to the use of the complex as a redox couple. The invention further provides electrochemical and/or optoelectronic devices comprising a first and a second electrode and, between said first and second electrode, a charge transport layer, said a charge transport layer comprising tetracyanoborate ([B(CN).sub.4].sup.−) and a cationic metal complex functioning as redox-couple.

A capacitor containing a solid electrolytic capacitor element including a sintered porous anode body and a relatively large diameter anode lead wire is provided. The lead wire is electrically connected to the anode body for connection to an anode termination. Further, the lead wire has a diameter that is at least about 10% of the height of the porous anode body to improve the points of contact between the anode body and wire to reduce ESR. A portion of the lead wire extends from a surface of the anode body in a longitudinal direction. At least one notch can be formed in the portion of the lead wire that extends from the anode body. The notch can be formed via a laser or by cutting, punching, or sawing and can serve as the point of electrical connection between the anode termination and the lead wire.